urbanSTL

^Fair enough. Thanks for clearing up the math. Even so, $21M per year in a city budget that is consistently shifting money between competing priorities just to break even could go a long way towards funding things that would allow us to be proactive (public safety investments in the form of community resources, better funding for grass cutting/LRA maintenance, etc.) rather than reactive.

Additionally, if the aim is to increase population, and thus the tax base, a serious discussion needs be had about increasing density (i.e.--incentivizing projects that increase density in high development risk areas only). We're making progress on the jobs front, but not quickly enough to make a meaningful dent.

I'm with you on population loss and jobs. The incentives are a piece of the puzzle that, employed properly, could help turn the tide in those two areas. Part of a larger fix, to be sure, but as good a place as any to start, especially since new jobs and increased density both usually stem from new development.



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So how long until the Ikea TIF is paid off?

CarexCurator wrote:Ikea pulls in mad sales tax as expected,
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... Journal%29

Do online Ikea purchases come with sales tax included?

I believe that if a retailer has a physical location in a state, online sales within that state pay sales tax.

quincunx wrote:So how long until the Ikea TIF is paid off?

Do $125,000,000 x city sales tax = x amount/year

Tif amount minus x amount =. Years til paid off

Are 100% of sales taxes TIF'd? Are all the other sales taxes? Are some or all the property taxes TIF'd?

According to this, the IKEA TIF is being paid off by a portion of sales taxes generated on the site (likely the City portion).
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... ebed7.html

^ could be mistaken, but I believe earnings taxes can be captured by TIF as well... I believe this was the case for Koman's Laclede Gas project.

Nick Pistor killing it on TWTR about city's looming financial crisis and how under-reported it is. For example, city can't afford to remove a statue.

Unbelievable.

Mayor Krewson has been quiet about her budget suggestions so far. Her budgetary experience was something she campaigned on, so I'm surprised she isn't making public recommendations already.


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whitherSTL wrote: ↑

May 31, 2017

Nick Pistor killing it on TWTR about city's looming financial crisis and how under-reported it is. For example, city can't afford to remove a statue.

Unbelievable.

I have a tough time believing that.

I think the reality is how constrained, compartmentalized and inept a lot of city services have become across a lo lot of cities from lack of leadership whether it be political stakeholders or city management, union rules and shear laziness of employees. I have no doubt the city has means, methods and people capable of performing task.

I've seen squad cars of police women blow past violent crimes in progress. But at least we are meeting quotas and looking all fair and stuff.

chaifetz10 wrote: ↑

Jun 02, 2017

leeharveyawesome wrote: ↑

Jun 01, 2017

I've seen squad cars of police women blow past violent crimes in progress. But at least we are meeting quotas and looking all fair and stuff.

Are you trying to be sexist here or... Would you please clarify your point on this one?

This is the one post of theirs that you want clarification on??? Probably better to not feed him/her.

These are predictable expenses. Why not tax ourselves for them? So we pay for things instead of paying for things plus fees and interest.

On Aug 7 Ballot

PROPOSITION NO. 1
Shall the following be adopted:
Proposition to issue bonds of the City of St. Louis,
Missouri in an amount not to exceed Fifty Million Dollars
($50,000,000) for the purpose of planning, purchasing,
replacing, improving and maintaining the buildings,
bridges, computer software/ hardware, and equipment of
the City of St. Louis, including (1) acquiring fire trucks,
ambulances, and other fire-fighting apparatus for the St.
Louis Fire Department, (2) acquiring radio equipment for
the Police Department, (3) providing match share funds to
repair, renovate, and replace bridges, (4) renovating
buildings and facilities owned by the City of St. Louis
including courthouses, correctional facilities, City Hall and
other City buildings; and (5) for expenses associated with
the issuance of the bonds. If this proposition is approved,
the property tax levy is estimated to remain unchanged.

St. Louis and Pittsburgh have almost equal populations, yet our budget is TWICE theirs. How can that be?

https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/editor ... 03fe9.html

framer wrote: ↑

Jul 05, 2018

St. Louis and Pittsburgh have almost equal populations, yet our budget is TWICE theirs. How can that be?

https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/editor ... 03fe9.html

As it points out, obscene. It makes the argument that St. Louis has "unique" challenges, one being that the infrastructure was built for more people. But its own Pittsburgh data point seems to belie the uniqueness of that challenge, as Pittsburgh's population peaked near 700,000 in the 50s, not dissimilar from St. Louis.

The STL City/County divide is obscenely expensive for all parties involved.

johnnyqnola wrote: ↑

Jul 05, 2018

The STL City/County divide is obscenely expensive for all parties involved.

This has nothing to do with the city/county divide other than the fact that an extremely dysfunctional city is involved.

Do Denver or Pittsburgh have an airport in their budget? Water division? Transit tax pass-thrus? Is trash service under the city gov't there? Do Colorado and Pennsylvania fund/do things that Missouri doesn't that are made up for at the city level?

No suggestions of things to cut in the budget.

No mention of stadium spending.

No mention of the destruction of the tax base to auto-orient the city. No mention of the heavy burden to taxpayers, probably much greater than the cost of the vacant buildings, to deal with the externalities and enabling all the driving and parking.

No mention of the Federal, state,and regional policies to spread the region out and over supply housing leading to the vacancy they're very concerned about.

No mention of the Federal, state,and regional policies to confine as many of the region's impoverished people in the city as possible.

I don't think the sheer size of the budget is really that much of a concern. Whether we can run the city in the black while providing adequate services without overly burdensome taxes should be our biggest priority.

Stl PR- St. Louis To Deny Earnings Tax Refunds To Remote Workers

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/st ... s#stream/0

^LOL. Good luck with that should someone care to challenge it. Assuming this is just a bet that no one will expend the effort for a seemingly one time temporary situation. I have a feeling someone will.